Chipley, Florida www.floridastateparks.org/fallingwaters

(850) 638-6130

Falling Waters State Park

Water hyacinth on the St. John’s River, Palatka 1968

Kudzu infestation

Help Control Invasive Plants by Keeping Them Out of Your Landscape at HomePreventing the introduction and spread of invasive plants in Florida is the most effective and least expensive means of protecting Florida’s naturalhabitats. Here are a few things we can all do:

Learn more about invasive plants: http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/guide/invplant.html

Volunteer to help remove invasive plants in your area.

Inspect your yard for invasive plants; discard them in household trash (don’t compost).

Practice good stewardship: don’t transport invasive plants to other areas and never empty your aquarium into a body of water, not even a canal.

Avoid chopping aquatic plants with boat propellers as some plant fragments can grow into new infestations.

Remove plant fragments from boats/trailers after use; check clothing, shoes, and pets for seeds after hiking.

Ask your nursery or garden center for native and/or non-invasive plants.

Watch for and report invasive plants found in this park; note the location and tell a ranger.

Take guided walks at state parks to learn about Florida’s native plants and animals.

Park staff controlling an air potato infestation

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Why Should We Care?Invasive plants are costing Floridians a lot of money; nearly 80 million taxpayer dollars were spent in 2005 to control them. If not kept in check, invasive plants can create ideal breeding grounds for mosquitos, cause serious navigation blockages, and major flooding problems during storms. Boating, swimming, hikingand other uses of natural areas can also be made diffi-cult, even dangerous, by invasive plant infestations.

Keeping Things Under ControlAfter much research, we know that some invasive plant species will never be eradicated in Florida; they simply reproduce too fast. That is why we strive to keep them at the lowest feasible levels. The regular maintenance of invasive plants lessens overall environ-mental and economic damages and maintains habitat for native flora and fauna.

W elcome to Falling Waters State Park — a place to experience Florida’s rich plant and animal life. While you’re here,

we’d like to bring attention to some invasive plants that are a serious ecological threat within this park and other natural areas throughout the state.

What Is An Invasive Plant?Of the more than 4,000 plant species found in Florida, 1,300 or more are non-native* or exotic; they come from other countries or from other regions within the U.S. At least 130 of these exotic plant species are spreading rapidly throughout our natural areas. When they cause environmental or economic harm, they are considered to be invasive.

So, What’s The Problem?In their native ranges, plants generally do not become a nuisance. Today, with modern transportation, many exotic plants have caught a free ride to Florida. Once here, they are free from natural enemies that existed in their home range (insects, diseases, etc.), and can outgrow and replace Florida’s native plants.

When Invasive Plants Replace Native Plants: Native plants can be permanently eliminated,

diminishing Florida’s natural diversity; Animals that use native plants are often unable to

adapt, so they may leave the area or die out; Invasive aquatic plants can completely fill the

water column, driving fish and wildlife from the area.

Control of invasive plants allows greater enjoyment of our waters and natural areas, and preserves Florida’s natural diversity.

* The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council defines an exotic (non-native) species as one introduced to Florida, purposefully or accidentally, from a natural range outside of Florida. A natural-ized exotic is one that is self-sustaining outside of cultivation.

Invasive Plants

ShouldYou

Know

Albizia julibrissinOriginally from China, mimosa or silk tree was introduced in 1745 and cultivated for use as an ornamental. It is a strong competitor in open areas and forest edges due to its ability to grow in various soil types, its prolific seed production, and its ability to re-sprout after being cut back or damaged. Often found along roadsides, waterways and disturbed areas, it reduces the sunlight and nutrients available to native species.

Lonicera japonicaJapanese honeysuckle was introduced from Japan in 1906 for use as an ornamental plant. It will rapidly colonize disturbed habitats including fields, roadsides,forest edges, and fencerows. Capable of engulfing small trees and shrubs with dense thickets of vegeta-tion, it can outcompete native plants for light, space, water, and nutrients, preventing their germination and growth.

Pueraria montanaIntroduced in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, kudzu was developed for use as a forage species and also promoted by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service for erosion control. A serious,widespread invader, it forms large impenetrable masses, growing over woody vegetation and com-pletely engulfing non-wooded areas. It can completely envelop and kill trees by shading out all available light. It can also cover structures such as houses, barns, large vehicles, power poles, and more.

Albizia julibrissin mimosa tree - to 15 m

Ligustrum sinense Chinese privet - deciduous; flowers stalked

Pueraria montana kudzu - vine; hairy stems; flowers fragrant

Identifying Invasive PlantsThe non-native plants in this brochure have proven to be invasive in our park and region and are currently being controlled by park staff, contractors and volunteers. Do you recognize any of them? Read on to learn more about these quiet invaders.

Ligustrum sinenseNative to China, Chinese privet has escaped cultiva-tion and become naturalized in Florida. Introduced as an ornamental shrub, it is planted extensively as a hedge. Capable of forming dense thickets that outcompete desirable native plants, its prolific seed production and hardy growth allow it to invade natural areas such as floodplain forests and woodlands.

Lygodium japonicumNative to eastern Asia, Japanese climbing fern can overtop forest trees, shading out and even killing them. It often grows as a tangled mass over shrubs and fencelines, smothering ground cover and tree seedlings in the southeastern U.S. It thrives in damp places. While its leaflets are killed by winter frost, the plant persists from year to year. Like other ferns, its reproductive spores can be carried long distances by wind, vehicles, and even clothing and shoes.

Sapium sebiferumIntroduced into the southeastern U.S. from China as early as the 1700s, Chinese tallow has been cultivated for about 1,500 years as a seed-oil crop. It spreads rampantly in large natural areas by outcompeting native plants, and can thrive in well-drained uplands, bottomlands, shorelines, and on floating islands. It is often called the “Florida aspen” due to its red fall color, or “popcorn-tree” due to the three white seeds from each fruit that resemble popcorn. Lonicera japonica

Japanese honeysuckle - vine; hairy; white flowers turn pale yellow

Identify plants in your own neighborhood: http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/parks

Lygodium japonicum Japanese climbing fern - multi-lobed leaflets; fertile leaflets have two rows of sporangia along margins

Sapium sebiferum Chinese tallow - tree to 10 m; milky sap; leaves turn orange in autumn; seeds resemble popped corn

Plant descriptions excerpted from Identification & Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas by K. A. Lange-land, H. M. Cherry, C. M. McCormick, and K. A. Craddock Burks, Second Edition, 2008. University of Florida-IFAS.